There are a variety of power methods and devices for the purposes of providing a motive force to skateboards. These methods may include but are not limited to gas power via a gasoline engine attached to the skateboard and electric motors attached to the skateboard. These methods are convenient for a rider of the board but are damaging to the environment. Other “human” power methods may include skateboards that use a “serpentine” motion of the board in order to provide a motive force, or a rider of the skateboard may simply “kick” themselves along by dropping one foot to the ground while riding the board. These human powered methods are less convenient for a rider of the skateboard. Finally, some scooter designs rely on the rotation of the board a rider stands on in one direction in order to provide power to the wheels. These scooter designs require the board to be rotated through a very large angle with respect to the ground, thus requiring that a scooter handle be in place for the rider to hold onto. These scooter designs also only power the scooter when the board rotates in one direction. What have been needed are devices and methods which provide environmentally sound strategies such as mechanical or hydraulic drive mechanisms which are configured to power the board efficiently over long distances with a minimum effort from the rider. Further, the board must be configured such that a rider of the board can easily and intuitively steer it.